


Owl-slayer

by Peskychloe



Series: BokuAka Week [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Skateboarding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-11 17:03:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10469901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peskychloe/pseuds/Peskychloe
Summary: ‘Oh, urm, I don’t have a board with me. I’ve never actually been on a skateboard.’On their first date, Akaashi is surprised to learn Bokuto can’t skateboard.





	1. Chapter 1

'It's the cinema on the other side of the park. It'll only take five minutes to get there.' He put his board down, and looked expectantly at Bokuto.

'Oh, urm, I don't have a board with me. I've never actually been on a skateboard.'

Akaashi stopped and looked at Bokuto, an incredulous expression on his face. Bokuto was fiddling with the strings on his hooded top, avoiding his eyes.

'How come?' he asked.

'I... just never have.'

'The rest of the band does. I just assumed. You never wanted to?'

Bokuto sighed, and mumbled something under his breath. Akaashi couldn't pick up what he said, but didn't want to make him uncomfortable. Surely if he'd wanted to skateboard by now, he would have tried it. It was really none of his business.

'Ok, well, we can just walk.' He picked up his board, and tucked it into the straps on his rucksack. 'It won't take much longer, we can still catch the start.'

'Sorry, 'Kashi.'

'Don't apologise. Forget I said anything.'

No matter what he said, he could tell Bokuto was holding onto it, for some reason. His hands were pushed into his pockets, and his shoulders were hunched over as he walked. Akaashi knew he'd have to be cautious, peeling away the layers without breaking them.

They walked, in a more uncomfortable silence than he'd have liked, but at least he was still there, walking with him.

He didn't want to mess things up, after finally asking him to spend time together in a more arranged way. They'd bumped into each other a few times since the gig, so many times in fact, that it was surprising that they hadn't met each other before. They shared a lot of friends in the scene, most notably, the band's bass player Tsukki was good friends with Yamaguchi, who also worked on the same magazine as Akaashi.

The fourth time they'd bumped into each other by accident, it was just the two of them; it was somehow easier to ask for a phone number, and then the easy flowing text messages started. Finally, he'd built the confidence to ask him to meet up properly, when just the right opportunity presented itself.

Akaashi couldn't believe it when he saw they were showing 'Dragonslayer' at the local arts cinema. The weekend before, he'd gone to see something with Ennoshita, who had pointed out the poster as they left; at first he suggested they both go together, before noticing the date and realising he was already busy.

'You should invite Bokuto,' he suggested.

'Oh. Why's that?' he said, trying to sound innocent.

'Ah, right. No reason.' He rolled his eyes, as if they all weren't well aware of how Akaashi felt about Bokuto. 'Well, it's about a slacker skater kid, I'm sure he'd enjoy it. Oh plus it's pretty short, so if he gets bored, it won't be for long.'

'Why would he get bored?'

'Cause it's Bokuto, he has the focus of a four year old.'

Ennoshita wasn't the first person who'd mentioned this short attention span, but Akaashi had never really experienced it. Whenever they chatted, his attention seemed to be focused on the conversation. Ok, they hadn't spoken in person that many times, or for that long, but he'd never felt like Bokuto was bored or would rather be elsewhere.

He found it quite insulting, the way people treated Bokuto like a small child. He was a fully grown man, with a full-time job. Even if that job was playing drums in a band, it was a talent that took patience and skill, and he had to be reliable to turn up for gigs and practice sessions.

But he couldn't be bothered to argue with Ennoshita about it. He clearly had a certain impression of Bokuto, one that was shared by most of the people he knew. Plus it would probably draw attention to the fact he thought about Bokuto a bit more than he'd like to admit. Especially his arms. In relation to his drumming, of course.

So he'd texted Bokuto, inviting him along instead, and when he'd got back an enthusiastic acceptance almost immediately, he felt a rush of excitement flooding his chest.

It had never occurred to him before now that he didn't skateboard, but now he thought about it, he'd never had a board with him, even though Kuroo always did; when he pictured Bokuto, he was perched on his bike, leaning forward on the dropped handlebars, listening intently.

'You don't have your bike today?' Akaashi asked, cutting through the silence.

'Nah, I got the bus. I … wasn't sure what time it finished. Or what we might be doing afterwards.'

A warm blush crept its way up the back of Akaashi's neck. 'It's short, just over an hour. We could get something to eat afterwards. If you'd like?'

Bokuto took a sideways look at Akaashi, and smiled. 'Yeah, I'd like that.'

Now that they were talking, and it seemed like neither wanted the day to be over quickly, Akaashi relaxed, and Bokuto was walking with his head up again. Akaashi checked his watch, and as they had plenty of time, he took them the scenic route through the park, winding around the pond.

Bokuto started pointing things out to his companion, small details about their surroundings; a badly pasted poster which made someone's head look like it was squeezed at the sides, a squirrel racing along a fence in the distance, a crisp packet folded into a neat triangle which hadn't quite reached the bin when someone had thrown it.

Eventually the cinema came into view, on the other side of the park gate. There was still plenty of time before the film started.

'Want to hang around here for a bit?' Bokuto nodded, and found them a bench. Akaashi took his rucksack off his back, and rooted around inside. He found two bottles of Coke, handing one to Bokuto. He smiled and thanked him, taking a long draft.

As they sat, Bokuto peered at the skateboard still strapped to the bag. It wasn't fancy, just a bog standard board, although it was completely covered in stickers he'd got as freebies from work. He was much more interested in photographing other skateboarders than learning to do tricks. He could just about 180, but he used the board much more as transport than anything else.

'I know him,' Bokuto said, pointing at a sticker showing a glass heart. It was newer than most of the others, not overlapped by anything else.

'Asahi? I photographed him the other week. Nice guy.'

'He really is. He's the best street skater I've seen.'

Maybe it was time to take a chance now, with the subject back to boarding. If he made things awkward at all, he could pretend they needed to go to the cinema immediately, and save Bokuto's embarrassment.

'You know Noya as well?' Bokuto nodded. 'Then you'll know Tanaka?'

Bokuto started laughing. 'Those two crack me up. It's like they're in Jackass.'

'We know a lot of the same people, lot of skaters,' he started carefully.

'Yeah we do. Weird that we hadn't met yet, isn't it?' He was still looking at the bottle of Coke, picking at the label with his thumb nail.

'It's also weird you haven't tried skateboarding yet. Would you... like to try on mine?'

Bokuto looked up at him. His eyebrows were drawn down over his nose, and his mouth was pulled to one side. His expression seemed to be that of someone hearing something unexpected. Akaashi stayed quiet, waiting patiently for more reaction before he said anything else.

'I said earlier, I don't think I can.' His voice was quieter again, but Akaashi caught it this time.

'Sorry, I didn't hear you earlier. But everyone thinks that at first. It's all practice, I'm sure you could...'

'Akaashi, it's not that. Gah!' he interrupted him, exasperated. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to... It's not that. It's... I'm really clumsy.' He'd continued picking at the bottle label, as well as scuffing the toes of his feet together. 'I'll probably break the board. Or my leg.'

He looked so uncomfortable, embarrassed even, and Akaashi felt terrible for causing him to feel so bad about himself. He lifted his hand, moving it over Bokuto's leg. It hovered there for a second, until he made the decision, placing it lightly just above his knee.

'Bokuto, I'm sorry. If you're not comfortable, I shouldn't have pushed you. But if you change your mind, the offer is always there. Any time.'

His feet had stopped moving, and he looked at Akaashi's hand, still resting lightly on his thigh. He stopped picking at the label, and tentatively put his hand on top of it, then looked up to catch Akaashi looking back at him.

He quickly turned away, but in the moment their eyes had met, gold flecks had sparkled in Bokuto's, a dusting of pink across his cheeks.

He cleared his throat, taking back his hand so he could open his bottle again, and take a swig. The warmth from Bokuto's hand lingered on the back of his hand, and within his stomach.

'Ok,' Bokuto said after a deep breath, 'Have we got time before the film?'

'You really want to give it a go?' He tried to hide the excitement in his voice, but the thought that he'd persuaded Bokuto was a bit too much to handle.

He'd thought Bokuto was a force of nature, the kind of person to try anything, with little thought; like Tanaka and Noya, he imagined he was probably into pranks, and stunts. As it turned out, he was thoughtful, careful, gentle, the foolishness merely a cover.

Akaashi unstrapped his board, placing it on the ground. He put a hand out to Bokuto, pulling him onto his feet.

'First of all, are you left or right handed?' Bokuto held up his left hand. 'Ok, you're probably going to be goofy. So put your right foot here.' He pointed to the front of the skateboard, moving Bokuto's foot into the right position. 'Now put your left foot just there, ok?'

By now, Bokuto was standing on the board, his feet at right angles to the board, one over each set of wheels.

'Now, hold onto me, and move your feet backwards and forwards a bit.'

He put both hands out towards Bokuto, who took them, holding them by the fingertips. His hands were calloused, no doubt from drumming, and the roughness brushed against Akaashi's softer skin. Akaashi looked up to see if he was ok, but Bokuto was looking at the floor as if it was covered in lava.

'It's fine, you won't break it, and I won't let you fall.'

'It's stupid really, it's about an inch off the floor!'

'Don't be so hard on yourself.' His voice was soft and encouraging. 'You're standing on wheels, it's wobbly. Remember learning to ride your bike? I bet that was wobbly at first.'

Bokuto looked embarrassed again. 'I had training wheels until I was eight...'

'There's more wheels on this,' Akaashi said firmly. 'Now, can you move your feet a bit yet?'

He rocked his feet, uncertain movements giving way to more bold ones the more he got used to the feel of the wheels.

He finally looked up into Akaashi's face, and those gold flecked eyes took him by surprise again. His face was filled with the unbridled glee of doing something well, and Akaashi could finally see why people saw him as childlike.

'Does that feel ok?'

Bokuto stopped moving his feet and stood as stably as he could on the board, still holding onto the other's hands, eyes pinned to each other. He moved his fingers to rest between Akaashi's, intertwining them.

The sun was in the sky behind him, lingering on the tips of his hair. Akaashi knew they'd have to make a move to the cinema soon, but he had no inclination to take his hands away. Something was shifting, unrelated to the unsteady skateboard beneath Bokuto's feet.

He was hoping they were both feeling it, and when Bokuto finally answered, he knew it for sure.

'Yeah,' he said, the smirk growing wider on his lips. 'This feels very ok.'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loosely based on an event from my teenage years - and changed to be nicer. 
> 
> Just like Bokuto, I had training wheels until I was 8, and then about a week later I fell off my bike, broke my leg and spent 3 months in traction.


	2. Artwork

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 and 3 which had illustration, but no writing as yet

Day 1 - First Meetings

"Akaashi is a photographer working for a skateboarding magazine, and goes to see a band with Fukurodani folks and sees Bokuto playing the drums. They talk afterwards, and strike up a friendship."

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/peskychloe/33541939502/in/album-72157675475586543/) [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/peskychloe/32855489084/in/album-72157675475586543/)

Day 3 - New Life

"Akaashi is sent to photograph Bokuto for the magazine. The photos are for alongside a band interview, carried out by Yacchi. Bokuto has got better at skateboarding, and is now better than Akaashi, so they photograph him (and the others) doing tricks. The other photo is just for Akaashi, he never gives it to the magazine."

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/peskychloe/33563581292/in/album-72157675475586543/) [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/peskychloe/33563580782/in/album-72157675475586543/)

 

 


End file.
